REVIEW article
Front. Cardiovasc. Med.
Sec. Cardiovascular Pharmacology and Drug Discovery
Volume 12 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fcvm.2025.1599154
The therapeutic effects of natural organosulfur compounds on atherosclerosis and their potential mechanisms: a comprehensive review
Provisionally accepted
Yuanyuan Tang1*
De Lv2*- 1Department of Pharmacy, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
- 2Department of Endocrinology, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
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Atherosclerosis (AS) is a major cause of cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality, characterized by lipid accumulation, oxidative stress, and chronic inflammation. Natural organic sulfur compounds (OSCs), especially those derived from garlic (Allium sativum), have therapeutic value in slowing the course of AS. We systematically evaluate the mechanisms by which OSCs exert their anti-atherogenic effects, focusing on lipid metabolism regulation, antioxidant defense, anti-inflammatory responses, endothelial protection, and antibacterial activity. Key signaling pathways, including Nrf2/ARE, RhoA/ROCK, AMPK/SREBP-1c/SREBP-2, and PCSK9-LDLR, are highlighted as critical mediators of these effects. Preclinical and clinical investigations show that OSCs significantly reduce plasma cholesterol, suppress oxidative stress, and attenuate inflammatory cascades. However, challenges such as variable bioavailability and the absence of standardized formulations limit their clinical application. Future research should focus on clinical trials to establish efficacy, improve bioavailability, and create standardized formulations of OSCs for cardiovascular disease prevention and management.
Keywords: organosulfur compounds, Garlic, Atherosclerosis, Lipid Metabolism, Oxidative Stress, Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Endothelial protection, PCSK9 inhibitors
Received: 27 Mar 2025; Accepted: 16 Jun 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Tang and Lv. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Yuanyuan Tang, Department of Pharmacy, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
De Lv, Department of Endocrinology, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.